Claire Giordano

About
Claire Giordano

Claire graduated from Skyline High School in Sammamish, WA, in June 2010. She is an award-winning artist, working in the visual arts, design, and photography. Claire was a member of the Link Crew, Junior Statesmen, and the Rowing Club. Claire volunteered for Children’s Hospital and founded the Eastside Teens for Children’s Guild. She was a summer camp counselor for medically fragile children and designed and created materials for a bereavement camp. Claire founded a book drive that has distributed over 6,000 books to underprivileged schools. She is a member of National Honor Society.

Dear High School Seniors,

It is hard for me to think that it was only a year ago that I sat where you are today. In the past year I have gone from the frenzied, crazy college application process, through the angst of waiting to get the big fat envelopes, the excitement of choosing my new home for the next four years, and the mixed emotions of moving away from home. Not to mention keeping up with intense senior IB class schedules, midterms, finals, social obligations, community service projects, and just trying to keep my sanity through everything. It has been quite a year, a wonderful year. Although you may feel overwhelmed by all you have to do and all you will need to do, take a moment and cherish where you are and how far you have come.

If you are reading this blurb, you have discovered a truly unique scholarship opportunity. Being a Sullivan Scholar at Seattle U is much, much more than a merit scholarship. I have been welcomed into a community of incredible people who have become friends and mentors. There is no upper/lower classmen bias just a multi-age, highly diverse family. So, how do you get to this point of writing this letter a year from now? First and most importantly, take the time through the college application and essay process to discover who you really are right now; not who you will be in five or ten years, not whom your parents, teacher, college counselor, or friend wants you to be. Second, as you write your essays and have interviews, if you portray the honest you, admission officers will recognize kindred spirits and will reach out to you. Schools that are not a good match will not feel that resonance and will decline your admission. Don’t’ take rejection as a denouncement of your achievements, you simply were not who that were looking for.

As you go through the Sullivan scholarship selection process, enjoy every minute. Take the time to meet and talk with other students and professors. Embrace the opportunity to share your achievements, thoughts and beliefs with people who are truly interested in your success.

I hope to meet you on Presidents Day. If you have any questions about the program or the scholarship process, please email me at giordan2@seattleu.edu . I wish you great success.